A woman who died while trying to escape from a psychiatric ward did not intend to take her own life, an investigation has revealed.

Jessica Powell, from Yeovil, Somerset, became trapped in the window of a therapy room in an apparent attempt to escape from Summerlands Hospital in August 2020.

A jury investigating the 20-year-old man’s death ruled that staff failed to adequately monitor and protect the room.

Jane Yeandley, mental health services group director at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are very sorry that she died as a result of an incident in our care.”

Miss Powell was awaiting specialist treatment, and was known to have made previous attempts to escape.

Her father John Powell told the BBC, “It was just an error of judgment and unfortunately for Jess she just took her chance and that’s what happened.”

Hospital failures included not updating a faulty alarm system that sent staff to the wrong room. The investigation ruled that workers were also unable to release Miss Powell due to a lack of access to the external and internal doors.

The jury ruled that the staff “failed to adequately supervise and secure the therapy room, which had boarded-up windows, such that Miss Powell, who was a frequent runaway, could reasonably believe that she could escape”.

Miss Powell had been seeking mental health services since the age of 16 and was being treated for emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) before ultimately separating in October 2019.

The jury at the inquest sitting in Wales heard that he was admitted to the psychiatric intensive care unit in January 2020 due to increasing suicidal tendencies.

In May 2020, she successfully escaped from the ward through the dining room window, despite the window having restrictors that should have prevented such an escape.

On the evening of 19 August, when she failed to take her medication at around 22:00 BST, staff began searching for her.

She was found between 22:30 and 22:40 with her lower body protruding through a narrow space no more than 10 cm wide.

The investigation found that despite his earlier attempts to escape, the room had been left unlocked.

He died three days later in Yeovil District Hospital. The primary cause of his death is believed to be hypoxic brain injury, which is caused by a lack of oxygen.

Mr Powell said that “once he got an idea into his head it was very difficult to get it out”.

“When it came to being in the real world, she was very insecure – she just wanted to have friends,” he said.

Her sister Lucy said: “She was a very loving aunty and I miss her every day.”

Ms Yendley said that following Miss Powell’s death, the trust had “commissioned an independent report into her care and treatment, the layout of the ward and to answer her family’s questions”.

“Our thoughts are with Jessica’s family and loved ones. She was sweet and intelligent and we are so sorry.”

“We look forward to all of the report’s recommendations, but will now take a close look at the investigation’s findings to determine whether we need to take further action,” he said.